Social Security’s New Security Measures To Protect Your Privacy

In August of 2016, the Social Security Administration will add another step to your login process.

When you log on to the Social Security website at www.ssa.gov, you will see a section called “mySocial Security” on the home page. You use this section to manage your account, change your address and review your Social Security statement to make sure your earnings have been posted correctly. Social Security does not mail out yearly Social Security statements unless you have reached age 60. People under 60 receive their Social Security statements every five years when attaining the age of 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60. People under 60 will need to go to the website to review their account if they are not at these milestone ages.

In order to access your account through “mySocial Security”, you will need to jump through more hoops. You will need to have a text-enabled cell phone. When you try to access your account after providing your username and password, Social Security will send to your cell phone a one-time security code. You will need this code to access your information. If you do not have a text-enabled cell phone, you won’t be able to access your account. You will need to contact the Social Security office near you to obtain the information you are requesting. This new procedure applies every time you log into your account.

This new procedure is what the Social Security Administration calls multifactor authentication (MFA). This new procedure is designed to make sure you are the correct person by using more than one method from independent categories of credentials to authenticate you. This form of authentication is considered a best proactive and is used to secure your data.

So, with technology, as access to your information has become easier, it’s also become harder to access.